Augmenting Bowie's Reality

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Photo: Courtesy of the David Bowie Archive and Sony Music Entertainment (Japan) Inc.

Even in death, Bowie continues to embrace the future.

"This brings the amazing David Bowie is exhibition to a wider audience. It's great that his fans get to experience it. It was a privilege to be involved." - Gary Oldman

The David Bowie is AR (augmented reality)/VR (virtual reality) mobile app is the first release resulting from a collaboration between the David Bowie Archive and Sony Music Entertainment (Japan) Inc., who hosted the exhibition in Tokyo in 2017. The New York-based studio Planeta is designing and developing the AR/VR interpretations of the original museum experience at the V&A. The AR adaptation mirrors the physical exhibition through a sequence of audio-visual spaces through which the works and artifacts of Bowie's life can be explored. 3D renderings preserve and present his costumes and treasured objects such as musical scores, storyboards, handwritten lyrics, and even diary entries--all in 360-degree detail, enabling intimate "behind the glass" access rivalling that of the visitors to the original exhibit, and enhanced by an immersive audio experience featuring Bowie’s music and narration, best experienced with headphones.

David Bowie is record-breaking exhibition drew over 2 million visitors across 12 cities -- the most visited touring exhibition in the history of the V&A -- and has been granted digital immortality. David Bowie is, curated by Victoria Broackes and Geoffrey Marsh, set the standard for others to follow. The visual richness of this show and visionary nature of Bowie and his music made this a must for AR/VR reality.

Award-winning actor Gary Oldman provided the narration for this new mobile app. (Check him out as a priest in the audacious Bowie video for the single "The Next Day." He and David were close friends.) 

The app which debuts on Jan. 8th -- which would have been David's 72nd birthday -- will cost $7.99. More info here: https://davidbowieisreal.com/

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